UK Passport app

[nellyp]

I am sending off an application for a passport renewal to HK as soon as i have this confirmed. I have read the bumf about the passport application and as far as I can see I only need to send a copy of my passport with the application. What I cannot decide is how many pages they want copies of. does anybody know if it is just the main page?. I am also hundreds of miles from a DLS office, what are the suggestions apart from using these carriers? I would prefer a professional outfit rather than registered Thai post. I am near Roiet (50km South) So any experience of registered post around this area would be appreciated.

[pontious]

1. The bumf you read says ''send a photocopy of the pages of your existing passport that show your personal details, photograph and resident permit or visa''

2. So one copy of the photograph page and one of your extension page or visa.

3. Use the Thai post EMS system - you can track it all the way - it will be fine.

Edited June 24, 2013 by pontious

[alexander69]

Mine was fine with EMS, tracked all the way back to Isaan.

[Crossy]

+1 to the above, copy of the personal details plus visa/residents permit sent by EMS and you're good to go nowhere until the new PP arrives.

[nellyp]

Thanks to you all. I will use EMS as you seem happy with that. I'll also photocopy the personal details page and my latest visa page for them. (I still can't find the part about that in the guidelines)

Thanks again

[fin5prtw]

Mine was fine with EMS, tracked all the way back to Isaan.

i sent mine recently with EMS... do you mean that it will have the same tracking number on the way back to me so I should know that it is on the way???

[personchester]

Mine was fine with EMS, tracked all the way back to Isaan.

Hi Alex 69 ...

Its good to know that EMS is a secure sending method.

Please advice how long it took to receive the new passport after sending the application.

I see on the passport application form (bottom right at the end) a section for a witness to enclose his personal details and then confirm the passport application and sign his signature at the back of the two photos to confirm that the photos are correct vision of the applicant.

In the past we did not have our passport renewals to be witnessed by an additional person.

Is this section on the application form essential, or optional.

Please advice.

[pontious]

Mine was fine with EMS, tracked all the way back to Isaan.

Hi Alex 69 ...

Its good to know that EMS is a secure sending method.

Please advice how long it took to receive the new passport after sending the application.

I see on the passport application form (bottom right at the end) a section for a witness to enclose his personal details and then confirm the passport application and sign his signature at the back of the two photos to confirm that the photos are correct vision of the applicant.

In the past we did not have our passport renewals to be witnessed by an additional person.

Is this section on the application form essential, or optional.

Please advice.

www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications

Finding anything on the new look Gov UK is a nightmare.

[personchester]

Mine was fine with EMS, tracked all the way back to Isaan.

Hi Alex 69 ...

Its good to know that EMS is a secure sending method.

Please advice how long it took to receive the new passport after sending the application.

I see on the passport application form (bottom right at the end) a section for a witness to enclose his personal details and then confirm the passport application and sign his signature at the back of the two photos to confirm that the photos are correct vision of the applicant.

In the past we did not have our passport renewals to be witnessed by an additional person.

Is this section on the application form essential, or optional.

Please advice.

www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications

Finding anything on the new look Gov UK is a nightmare.

Hi Pontious ...

Thank you for providing the official > www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications < you are right it is messy, but we have no option other than to carry out the government requests

The knowledge will help us when we apply for passport renewal in HK

[giggles]

theyre very finnicky over the photo so make sure its exactly the right size and in proportion and as it states in the guidance

[nellyp]

I was assuming that my passport was issued by the UK government. Amy advice on what to put in that box. In worried about wasting my money with the wrong answer.

cheers

[lopburi3]

I can not answer specific for UK passport but most countries have a place of issue (or such issue/authority term) on the data page so expect they want what is listed there. For US passports it used to be the Consulate location but since all are made in USA now the new ones will just have United States Department of State.

[MrRed]

I was assuming that my passport was issued by the UK government. Amy advice on what to put in that box. In worried about wasting my money with the wrong answer.

cheers

They are asking at which office was it issued....

Her Majesty’s Passport Office (previously called the Identity and Passport Service) has offices in:

• London
• Liverpool
• Belfast
• Durham
• Glasgow
• Newport
• Peterborough

[jrtmedic]

I was assuming that my passport was issued by the UK government. Amy advice on what to put in that box. In worried about wasting my money with the wrong answer.

cheers

If you look at the bio data page of your UK passport you will find the information you need immediately below the heading "Authority" which you will find just above your signature.

For example mine says "UKPA"

[bangkokrick]

Applied twice to HK and the issuer is IPS in both passports. I did not copy my visa page and you do not need counter signatures unless your appearance has changed dramatically from the previous passport picture.

[nellyp]

I love this place the help is great

[fin5prtw]

Mine was fine with EMS, tracked all the way back to Isaan.

i sent mine recently with EMS... do you mean that it will have the same tracking number on the way back to me so I should know that it is on the way???

Anyone know about this please? I think my message got missed

[theoldgit]

Mine was fine with EMS, tracked all the way back to Isaan.

i sent mine recently with EMS... do you mean that it will have the same tracking number on the way back to me so I should know that it is on the way???

Anyone know about this please? I think my message got missed

No, EMS will track it to Hong Kong, Hong Kong will order it electronically from the IPA in the UK, and the IPA will send it to you via DHL.

I don't think they routinely send the DHL tracking number, I suspect they will do so only if it hasn't been delivered in a reasonable time.

Mine was delivered ten days after my CC was processed in HKG.

[OJAS]

It is, of course, always possible to renew a passport in person during a visit to the UK. This was something I was originally minded to do during my current European trip so as to save the potential hassle of applying via HK. However, I am glad that, in the event, I went the HK route beforehand instead since my previous passport had less than 6 months to run as at the time of this trip. It emerged that this would probably have made it impossible for me to obtain any travel insurance had I been planning to travel for part of the time at least on my old passport!

[fin5prtw]

Mine was fine with EMS, tracked all the way back to Isaan.

i sent mine recently with EMS... do you mean that it will have the same tracking number on the way back to me so I should know that it is on the way???

Anyone know about this please? I think my message got missed

No, EMS will track it to Hong Kong, Hong Kong will order it electronically from the IPA in the UK, and the IPA will send it to you via DHL.

I don't think they routinely send the DHL tracking number, I suspect they will do so only if it hasn't been delivered in a reasonable time.

Mine was delivered ten days after my CC was processed in HKG.

Aha I see I was wondering whether they linked the tracking number of the original package to the application, but doubted it would actually be the case!!

Thank you so much for your information.. They processed my CC payment 9 days ago now, so fingers crossed it should be arriving any time soon!!

[nellyp]

Is it possible to have the passport delivered to the Thai Embassy in Bangkok? Also as a new passport is being issued, when does the old one become cancelled, and the new one become enforced. What I mean is when the passport is in transit, what passport is valid? One more thingMy work permit will be tied to my old passport number, do I need to go and have all these various documents altered?

Many questions are popping into my head...sorry

[OJAS]

"Is it possible to have the passport delivered to the Thai Embassy in Bangkok?"

AFAIK, no. DHL will courier your new passport from the UK to the address stated in your application form. Their courier should call you if (as I do) you live out in the sticks and they cannot find this address,

"Also as a new passport is being issued, when does the old one become cancelled, and the new one become enforced. What I mean is when the passport is in transit, what passport is valid?"

Your old passport remains valid until you physically cancel it yourself by cutting off the top right-hand corners of the front & back covers and photo page. Do NOT cut off the top right-hand corners of the pages containing your current extension of stay and/or "admitted until" stamps, however, since Immigration might, otherwise, also deem these to be cancelled. And it goes without saying, I think, that you should not do this until you have received your new passport!

"One more thingMy work permit will be tied to my old passport number, do I need to go and have all these various documents altered?"

I suspect that you will need to notify whoever it was who issued your work permit (the Labour Ministry?) of your new passport number. Those who are more in the know than I am on this particular point should, hopefully, be able to clarify the specific procedures involved here.

In any event, you will definitely need to visit your local immigration office as well in order to get your existing extension of stay and/or "admitted until" stamps plus TM6 departure card transferred from your old to new passports. For this purpose you will need to be armed with:-

* a completed form as per the file attachment,

* an Embassy visa transfer letter as per the thumbnails attachment (which they will issue free of charge),

* an A4 copy of the photo page in your new passport, and

* A4 copies of the photo page, extension of stay and/or "admitted until" stamps and TM6 departure card in your old passport

Transfer stamp to new passport.docx

Edited June 28, 2013 by OJAS

[evadgib]

Registered post (less expensive than EMS but otherwise no different) is ample for sending to HK.

[OJAS]

Registered post (less expensive than EMS but otherwise no different) is ample for sending to HK.

But can you still track delivery to HK yourself as you can with the EMS International service?

[evadgib]

Yes. The ref no & website details are printed on your receipt.

www.thailandpost.co.th

Edited June 28, 2013 by evadgib

[nellyp]

OJAS.......you are a God

But one more question.....Do I have to go to the Embassy to get the visa transfer letter?

Edited June 28, 2013 by nellyp

[bangkokrick]

Just go to Thai immigration and they will transfer your visa extension for you free of charge.

[ubonjoe]

OJAS.......you are a God

But one more question.....Do I have to go to the Embassy to get the visa transfer letter?

That depends upon which immigration office you go to.

Most will want it though.

[OJAS]

OJAS.......you are a God

But one more question.....Do I have to go to the Embassy to get the visa transfer letter?

Profuse apologies, Nelly, the brightness of my halo caused me to miss your further question until now

Strictly speaking, yes you do need to go to the Embassy in person for the letter. However, they were, in my case, prepared, exceptionally, to issue the letter by post after I had emailed them the requisite info and pleaded that a 200-mile round trip solely for this purpose from Rayong Province where I live would result in considerable expense and inconvenience for me.

Regarding ubonjoe's post, my immigration office (Maptaput) did not, in the event, ask me for the Embassy letter when they transferred the stamps from my old to new passport. However, a couple of fellow Brit Rayongites have subsequently posted stating that Maptaput did require the letter in their cases! And recent postings from Brit Pattayans would appear to indicate a similar ambiguous attitude towards the need for this letter at Jomtien Immigration.

So my advice to you would be to play it safe and obtain the Embassy letter regardless.

[nellyp]

OJAS.......you are a God

But one more question.....Do I have to go to the Embassy to get the visa transfer letter?

Profuse apologies, Nelly, the brightness of my halo caused me to miss your further question until now

Strictly speaking, yes you do need to go to the Embassy in person for the letter. However, they were, in my case, prepared, exceptionally, to issue the letter by post after I had emailed them the requisite info and pleaded that a 200-mile round trip solely for this purpose from Rayong Province where I live would result in considerable expense and inconvenience for me.

Regarding ubonjoe's post, my immigration office (Maptaput) did not, in the event, ask me for the Embassy letter when they transferred the stamps from my old to new passport. However, a couple of fellow Brit Rayongites have subsequently posted stating that Maptaput did require the letter in their cases! And recent postings from Brit Pattayans would appear to indicate a similar ambiguous attitude towards the need for this letter at Jomtien Immigration.

So my advice to you would be to play it safe and obtain the Embassy letter regardless.

Opps that's a 700km round trip. I'll go to immigration first I think.

Thanks to you all for the help on this